A Cultural Comparison of Trust in eLearning Artifacts

A significant body of literature focuses on learning mediated by technology (eLearning). We conceptually develop and empirically test a model of trust antecedents with online undergraduate students. Contributing to the student eLearning success literature, we posit that eLearning students require the support of technologies and trust in those technologies to feel satisfied with their learning and perceive that they will have a positive learning outcome. This study considers the effect of culture by comparing the trust and satisfaction of American and Latin American students in eLearning technologies. By conducting this study in two countries that differ in terms of national culture power distance and individualism, we learned that culture directly and significantly impacts trust in learning technologies. Culture also significantly changes the strength of the relation between trust and satisfaction. Future research directions and implications for researchers and higher education instructors are discussed.     

From the Closet to the Loft: Liminal License and Socio-Sexual Separation in Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Bravo's surprise hit series, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, has attracted a large and loyal viewing audience and garnered a great deal of critical acclaim. Though there is much to celebrate about the show, the authors of this study point out that Queer Eye also represents a new way of containing queers and queer sexuality. This essay argues that this containment is accomplished through a mediated ritual formula that inverts the traditional sequence characteristic of rites of passage and allows queers only temporary and controlled access to the cultural mainstream while ensuring that, in the end, they do not pose any serious threat of socio-sexual contamination by their continued presence there. Further, the authors argue that Queer Eye’s ritual formula illustrates the construction by mainstream media of a new kind of Closet, which they call “the Loft” because of the term's connection to one of the series’ conventions and because this new Closet simultaneously serves to elevate and contain queers and queer sexuality.     

南涧盖瓦洒彝族“哑巴会”的现代变迁

南涧盖瓦洒彝族村寨的"哑巴会",在外来文化与本土文化不断交流与融合的过程中,其节日的称谓、仪式功能逐渐发生变化,甚至衍伸出"新传统"。节日习俗的现代变迁,不仅是文化持有者自觉的行为,还是文化持有者与他者文化调试与互动的结果。     

Impression Management in Chat Rooms: A Grounded Theory Model

This paper investigates impression management and misrepresentation in chat rooms (a form of computer‐mediated communication, or CMC) from the vantage point of 10 chat room participants. The grounded theory approach was employed to derive a model firmly rooted in participants’ accounts. The resultant model reveals the motivations for engaging in impression management, the strategies used while in the chat rooms, as well as the goals achieved during this process. To illustrate the model, the experience of 1 chat room user is detailed. By producing a set of relationships among concepts, this study represents chat room participants’ experiences in a meaningful and coherent way. Findings are linked to extant theory and the value of this study is explored.     

Direct and Mediated Intercultural Contact: Koreans' Attitudes toward U.S. Americans

Abstract

Guided by the intergroup contact hypothesis, this study tested two models examining the associations among Korean young adults' consumption of U.S. dramas, direct contact with a U.S. American person, and their attitudes toward U.S. Americans in general. Results demonstrated that personal contact and mediated contact had a positive effect on intergroup attitudes, but that frequency of personal contact was a negative contributor. Mediated contact had different and stronger influences on participants' intergroup attitudes when they did not have personal contact with U.S. Americans. In addition, intergroup anxiety played a significant role in the contact modes and attitudes links.     

Learning Communities: Beliefs Embedded in Content-Based Rituals

This article addresses the underlying beliefs needed by teachers of young children if their learning communities are to be successful and self-sustaining. The relationships of language arts and social studies content to specific academic, social and literary rituals are discussed in the context of classroom examples in the United States. Trust and respect are treated as critical components supported by the work of Parker Palmer, Alfie Kohn and others. Relevant resources are also provided.     

文化表演与思想阐释——公元前8—前3世纪希腊与中国哀悼仪式中的两个主要环节

这项研究关乎两个主题:一个是仪式,另一个是比较。一方面,主要从葬礼前的哀哭和丧服两个层面来论证丧葬仪式的文化功能、目的和社会影响,从而看出古代中国人和古代希腊人在面对同一种境况——死亡时,他们所遵循的意义模式是不同的。另一方面,也力图以希腊古风古典时期与中国先秦时期哀悼仪式的比较为例,阐述比较研究中的一些原则和方法。最终,通过找寻同一个仪式对象在不同文化里的表现,回答这样一个问题:何以中希两个古代社会的哀悼和葬礼在早期有着程序及表演行为上的相似之处,但随后却表现出巨大的差异性?这一切都是源于哀悼和葬礼背后不同的思想观念:希腊人严守一种带有神性规定的仪式程序,却没有涉及现实的社会秩序、政体模式,也没有将其上升到一种理论的高度去阐发。因此,希腊仪式中的程序与表演的成份得以比较完整地延续下来,甚至在现代希腊社会中仍可见其痕迹,但却始终只是存在于民间、停留在仪式行为的层面。而中国自先秦以来,儒家的先贤们则将其社会理想及政治观念贯穿于种种仪式之中,使之深深地渗透到社会生活及个人生活的方方面面,从而造就了中国传统社会独有的文化模式。     

学校仪式的文化记忆功能及实现路径

文化记忆是一种巨大的力量,每个社会和时代都借助文化记忆的凝聚力维系身份认同。学校仪式是文化记忆的重要组织形式,它在存储文化传统、强化集体成员的身份认同,以及引导正确的文化行动方面发挥着独特的功能。在现实情景中,学校仪式出现外表形式化、内容空泛化、价值导向媚俗化等问题,表明学校仪式的文化记忆功能并未得到充分发挥。因此,彰显学校仪式的文化记忆价值,遵循学校仪式的文化记忆逻辑,并对学校仪式进行动态重构至关重要。     

从"行人之官"看赋之源起暨外交文化内涵

古人以赋乃古诗之流。赋与诗结缘，首在赋诗言志。而赋诗应对为行人之职，亦为外交礼仪形式。由“行人之官”赋诗到汉代斌家骋辞的中介是战国纵横家说辞。汉及其后诸赋家尚辞与礼仪重构，彰显物贡、德化与仪典，均渊源于先秦。     

Is it worth the price? The role of perceived financial risk,identification, and perceived value in purchasing pay-per-view broadcasts of combat sports

Perceived risk, identification, and perceived value play a critical role in consumer behavior. Although previous researchers have examined identification and perceived value, examination of mediated sport consumption is lacking. Additionally, risk has received limited attention within this context. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between identification, perceived value, and purchase intentions, and to assess the moderating role of perceived financial risk within the context of combat sports pay-per-view purchases. Combat sport consumers (N = 364) participated in an online survey. Findings showed that identification had a positive association with perceived value and purchase intentions. Perceived value was directly associated with purchase intentions and partially mediated the relationship between identification and purchase intentions. However, perceived financial risk did not moderate the value-intentions relationship. These findings contribute to the sport consumer behavior by (a) extending the understanding of identification, value, and purchase intentions in a mediated consumption environment, and (b) advancing knowledge on the role of financial risk in this setting. As advances in technology continue, it is important to understand the role of attitudes and behavior, and the potential impact of perceived risk on purchases of mediated sport programming.